WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, July 31, 2014) – France's highest administrative court has rejected a petition by the French Polynesian opposition to annul the result of the territorial election in May last year.

The court ruled that the challenge had been received on May the 29th, which was eight days too late for it to be considered.

The challenge by Oscar Temaru put into question the validity of the ballot paper of the Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party, because it had its campaign slogan printed on it.

The court has made no comment on the substance of the complaint.

In an immediate response, Mr Temaru's party has questioned the decision, saying it sent the complaint from Tahiti by post on time and will therefore seek a revision for what it considers to be a procedural error at the court in France.

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, July 31, 2014) – Fiji’s military force says they are severing all ties with the Tui Namosi and territorial officer, Ratu Suliano Matanitobua, over his comments that the vanua and the people of Namosi take precedence over his military uniform.

Speaking to FijiLive, RFMF chief operations officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Amani Suliano said: "This is from the commander of the Fiji Military himself ... he wants to make it clear to the Tui Namosi that we no longer want to be associated with him, we don’t have to do anything with him anymore, we are severing ties with him."

He said the Tui Namosi should not involve the military in his political campaign.

"He has every right to contest the election. As a territorial officer, he does not need to resign. He only needs to inform us that he wants to contest unless he is a regular officer," Lt-Col Suliano said.

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, July 31, 2014) – Governor Eloy S. Inos yesterday joined U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan in filing his candidacy with the Commonwealth Election Commission, and reiterated his support for the lawmaker, saying "we still have unfinished business."

This is the second time Inos has publicly endorsed Sablan’s candidacy. The first was in 2012 even though then-Gov. Benigno R. Fitial supported another candidate. Inos was lt. governor at the time.

"I support Kilili’s candidacy and think he’s doing a great job in Washington D.C.," the governor told reporters yesterday.

Not everyone agrees about everything all the time, he said, adding that he and Kilili may have different positions on some issues but "I think, overall, his accomplishments are quite amazing and so we support him."

SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Times, July 31, 2014) – The agriculture sector's initial contribution of 20 per cent towards the country's gross domestic product (GDP) has dropped to an average of nine per cent over the recent years.

And the Agriculture Ministry is working hard to bridge the 11 per cent gap.

This revelation was made by the Agriculture Minister Lt-Col Inia Seruiratu at the opening of the three-day Northern Agriculture show at Subrail Park in Labasa yesterday.

"Before, the sector used to contribute about 20 per cent towards the GDP but over recent years, it has only contributed an estimated nine per cent and this gives us a huge gap," he said.

"There are solutions to this problem and we need to create an environment of production in order to boost the economy.

"For us to boost the economy, we all have a responsibility to reduce import and increase exports...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, August 1, 2014) – The Solomon Islands National Disaster Council says the responsibility of rebuilding homes damaged in floods four months ago is up to the evacuees.

The state of disaster was lifted in Honiara and the Guadalcanal province this week with about 800 people still to be repatriated from evacuation centres.

Some flood victims have criticised the process, saying there is not enough support to rebuild their lives.

But the chair of the council, Melchior Mataki, says the government is providing support packages including building materials and people's expectations are unrealistic.

"We have to meet somewhere in the middle of it all. The government can not really provide all the necessary requirements that one would have had prior to the disaster."

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, August 4, 2014) – The President of Kiribati says the Government's purchase of land in Fiji is a valuable investment for the people of Kiribati that should reap benefits if Fiji maintains political stability.

The Kiribati Government has purchased a 2,210 hectare property at Natoavatu Estate on Vanua Levu in a bid to enhance its economic and social resilience in the face of climate change.

Anote Tong says Kiribati lost hundreds of millions of dollars during the financial market crash of 2008 and the purchase of land is to provide financial stability.

"Given the financial markets are just playing a lot of uncertainties, investing in real estate like that is not a bad idea. There is no doubt in my mind the value will go up in a time, in a very short time, with stability, political stability in Fiji, everything will improve."

He told a party meeting to launch Labour's manifesto that if the people wanted freedom, they had to vote against the regime-backed Fiji First Party.

With banners flying, logoed t-shirts on sale and a band playing the new campaign song "It's time to be free", the party faithful laughed and applauded as Mr Chaudhry denounced the regime and its eight years in government.

He said nearly half of Fiji was now in poverty and people had lost freedom.

Mr Chaudhry said Labour's policies would focus on the needs of the masses, but first, "tattered" confidence in Fiji would have to be rebuilt.

The former Prime Minister said the election was crucial - but it had...

HAGÃ TÃA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, August 4, 2014) – After decades of attempts to compensate local families for land parcels that were condemned for public use since the 1930s, the Guam Ancestral Lands Commission plans to vote soon on rules for distributing cash payments from a trust fund.

The trust fund has more than $3 million in it; the amount grows as time passes and the cash distribution remains on hold.

The commission met on July 23 and, after a lengthy discussion, decided it's time to vote on the draft rules and regulations at its next meeting on Aug. 13.

A draft of the rules and regulations states eligible landowners will be issued a "yearly disbursement of funds, until such time the landowners reach the full compensation on the amount approved by the board for their land."

"It is anticipated that the Land Bank Trust Funds may not cover full...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, August 2, 2014) – Australia's Immigration Minister has confirmed that 157 Sri Lankan asylum seekers, including children, were transferred to Nauru in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The Tamil asylum seekers had originally set sail from India in June in a bid to seek asylum in Australia, but they were intercepted by a Customs ship and held at sea for nearly a month while refugee advocates undertook a High Court challenge.

The asylum seekers were eventually taken to a remote detention centre in northwestern Australia, before being transferred to Nauru on three seperate flights.

The Immigration Minister, Scott Morrison told local media on Saturday that he had hoped the asylum seekers would choose to return to India, but they all refused.

Refugee Advocates say they are outraged by the move to send the asylum seekers to Australia's detention...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.